Chapter 41: Jiangxiang Bang

The patrolmen were right in front of him—what should Chu Yunlong do now?

Explain to the patrolmen: “I don’t know that man!”

That won’t work—he’ll be taken back to the patrol station.

His background isn’t clean enough; he absolutely cannot go to the police station.

Say something else?

The patrolmen gave Chu Yunlong no chance to speak—they swung their clubs straight at his head.

Thud!

One blow landed, and blood welled on Chu Yunlong’s forehead.

He dared not fight back; with no other choice, he dodged the two patrolmen and burst out of the ticket hall.

Outside the ticket hall, Chu Yunlong saw no sign of Li Banfeng.

Of course he couldn’t see him—Li Banfeng had dashed out of the ticket hall and immediately entered the Personal Dwelling, tossing the key into the tangled weeds outside the door.

“Where the hell did that brat run off to?” Chu Yunlong cursed, then felt a sudden, searing pain at the back of his head.

Thud! Thud!

The patrolmen chased after him from the ticket hall, swinging their clubs again at his head.

Chu Yunlong covered his head and sprinted toward the footbridge—there were many Chalu there, a chance to escape.

Chu Yunlong ran ahead; the two patrolmen chased behind.

Li Banfeng stepped out of the Personal Dwelling, watched the three figures vanish into the distance, and silently followed.

The test of his legs had come—he couldn’t follow too closely, nor fall too far behind; he had to maintain the right speed and distance.

In truth, Li Banfeng didn’t control his pace well—he still couldn’t fully restrain his legs. At one point, he was less than ten meters from the patrolmen, nearly spotted.

Fortunately, he was a Zhai Xiu, and just emerged from a residence, carrying a subtle, unremarkable aura that made the patrolmen overlook him.

Meanwhile, Chu Yunlong was too busy evading capture to notice Li Banfeng behind him.

They ran through three entire alleys, all the way to the wastelands, until the patrolmen were exhausted and bruised, and gave up the chase.

Chu Yunlong’s face was caked in blood; he leaned on his knees, gasping inside an abandoned house.

He couldn’t understand Li Banfeng’s earlier actions—he didn’t know why Li Banfeng had stormed the ticket hall.

True, he came from another province, but no matter where he came from or which station he boarded at, entering or leaving any part of Pulu Province required a travel permit—that was the rule.

Didn’t he know the rules?

Then how did he get to Yaowanggou?

Unless some powerful figure had bypassed the rules and bought him a ticket.

Even if such a powerful figure had indeed bought him a ticket, he still shouldn’t have stormed the ticket office.

In Pulu Province, storming the ticket office led to extremely serious consequences.

His breathing gradually steadied; Chu Yunlong wiped the blood from his face, and his emotions calmed too.

Had Li Banfeng’s sudden outburst earlier been motivated by something else?

Did he know I was about to attack him?

Was he deliberately provoking the ticket clerk to escape me?

His speed was clearly that of a Lv Xiu—Lv Xiu do have the ability to sense danger.

So his earlier quarrel with the ticket clerk was all an act!

He sensed my killing intent, provoked a disturbance, and tried to use it to escape.

That little brat is cunning!

Where could he go now?

Just now I saw he had nothing on him—no bag, so the treasure wasn’t with him.

If I were him, I’d move that treasure right now.

How could I catch him?

Immediately order my disciples to search near the station—Li Banfeng wouldn’t dare carry the Bronze Lotus on him; it’s probably hidden nearby…

While he was thinking, a sickle over ten centimeters long pressed against Chu Yunlong’s throat.

“Who?” Chu Yunlong startled—he wasn’t strong in perception, but years on the road shouldn’t have let someone get this close without warning.

Unless the opponent’s cultivation base far surpassed his own.

Or unless the opponent was a Zhai Xiu.

If the cultivation gap was too great, Chu Yunlong could only wait to die.

If the opponent was a Zhai Xiu, Chu Yunlong wasn’t too worried—he had ways to deal with Zhai Xiu.

“Brother, let’s put down the blade first. We’re not enemies—let’s talk this out properly…”

Pfft—the sickle’s edge sliced into Chu Yunlong’s throat, warm blood gushing out.

Chu Yunlong was stunned—he’d intended to negotiate, but the man had struck without warning.

“Who sent you?” Li Banfeng asked, holding the sickle, his tone calm.

It was him!

It was Li Banfeng!

Chu Yunlong was dumbfounded—how had Li Banfeng gotten this close?

I sensed no aura at all?

Is he a Zhai Xiu?

Impossible—based on earlier assessment, he was clearly a Lv Xiu.

Is his cultivation base far above mine?

But the Sect Master said he had no cultivation base—he was a white lamb, a novice.

The Sect Master’s information must be unreliable.

Hss~

The blade sank deeper into his neck; Li Banfeng asked: “Won’t you speak?”

Pain and fear don’t lie—Li Banfeng was this ruthless; Chu Yunlong was certain Li Banfeng was no novice.

The Sect Master might have been deceived by him.

More likely, I’ve been deceived by the Sect Master!

He’s clearly a ruthless man, yet they called him a novice—this kind of thing, the Sect Master has done before.

The blade began sinking deeper again; Chu Yunlong abandoned all thoughts of resistance or delay.

“It was our Boss’s order!”

“Don’t speak in underworld jargon—speak in words I understand!” Li Banfeng twisted the blade inside Chu Yunlong’s wound.

Chu Yunlong dared not use coded speech anymore: “My Sect Master sent me.”

“What sect are you from? Who is your Sect Master?”

“We’re from the Jiangxiang Bang. Our Sect Master’s surname is Xiao—Xiao Zhenggong.”

Li Banfeng frowned: “Have I met your Sect Master?”

“Probably—you wouldn’t know, I’m not sure…” Chu Yunlong spoke truthfully—he had no idea what dealings Xiao Zhenggong had with Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng tightened his wrist; the sickle’s edge kept sinking into the throat.

Those who’ve walked the road know: men like Li Banfeng don’t reason—Chu Yunlong had no choice but to reveal everything he knew:

“Our Sect Master is from another province—he’s from the Dark Star Bureau. You might know him.”

Dark Star Bureau!

“What does your Sect Master want with me?”

“He said you have a treasure—he ordered us to kill you and retrieve it.” As he spoke, Chu Yunlong reached for the dagger at his waist.

His movement was subtle.

Under these circumstances, he had no choice—he had to risk everything.

Li Banfeng was still pondering Xiao Zhenggong’s identity.

The Jiangxiang Bang came for me because of the Bronze Lotus.

So Xiao Zhenggong must be the “Xiao Team Leader” the big-eyed man mentioned on the phone!

He’s the one who ordered my execution!

Li Banfeng asked again: “How many people are in your Jiangxiang Bang? Are all of you hunting me?”

Hearing this, Chu Yunlong didn’t rush to draw his dagger.

Li Banfeng didn’t even know the Jiangxiang Bang—he seemed to know nothing about Pulu Province.

Dealing with such a man didn’t require risk—he could be outwitted.

Thinking this, Chu Yunlong said: “Jiangxiang Bang disciples are scattered across Pulu Province—tens of thousands in total. Our Sect Master has issued orders—every Jiangxiang Bang disciple is now searching for you.

Friend, I can tell you’re no ordinary man. Spare my life—I’ll become your inside man in the gang. I’ll warn you of any news ahead of time. If you’re just a little careful, they’ll never find you.

Once this storm passes, I’ll find some friends to get you a train ticket back to your province. Then, even if our Sect Master wants you, he’ll have to follow your province’s rules—he won’t be able to kill you on a whim like they do here in Pulu Province.”

Chu Yunlong had already gripped the dagger—he was a Wu Xiu, slightly slower than a Lv Xiu, but if he got one opening, Li Banfeng would die without doubt.

Li Banfeng nodded: “Once I return to my province, I’ll change my name and vanish—your Sect Master will never find me again.”

Chu Yunlong replied sincerely: “Leave it to me! In three days, I’ll get the ticket. We’ve met under fire—we’re friends now. I’m truly determined to be your friend.

Ask around in the Jiangxiang Bang or in Yaowanggou—find out who Chu Yunlong is, and you’ll know what kind of man I am!”

“Your name is Chu Yunlong?” Li Banfeng liked the name very much—“Just hearing it, you sound like a good man!”

Can you tell a good person just by their name?

That doesn’t make sense!

But Chu Yunlong naturally wouldn’t argue with Li Banfeng: “I, Chu Yunlong, have roamed the Jianghu and never done anything to betray a friend. Since we’ve crossed paths like this, I’ll risk my life to keep you safe!”

Hearing this, Li Banfeng was deeply moved: “Brother, you’re in great danger within the Men, so protect yourself too. Whatever happens between us, don’t tell anyone!”

“Of course, brother, rest assured—this secret is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. No one else will ever find out.”

Chu Yunlong now had a clear measure of this Li Banfeng: his cultivation base wasn’t low, and his mind was sharp, but he was an outsider from another province—his heart wasn’t cruel enough, his hand wasn’t ruthless enough; he had no chance of surviving in Pulu Province.

A few words could fool him—this man was truly a greenhorn. The Sect Master was right after all.

Thank goodness I didn’t fight him head-on just now. Waiting until he sheathed his blade was the safer move.

The moment Li Banfeng moved the blade away from his neck, Chu Yunlong would kill him in the next instant.

Thinking of this, Chu Yunlong added: “Brother, you must believe me!”

“Brother, I believe you. I leave the rest to you,” Li Banfeng’s grip on the blade loosened slightly.

“Leave the rest to me, brother. Travel safely,” Chu Yunlong gripped the hilt tightly, waiting for Li Banfeng to sheath his blade so he could strike immediately.

“Brother, take care on your journey!” Li Banfeng retracted his sickle—and slit Chu Yunlong’s throat.

Chu Yunlong clutched his neck, staring in horror at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng had sheathed his blade—but first, he had cut Chu Yunlong’s throat.

The slight loosening of his wrist had been to facilitate the strike.

How could this be?

Wasn’t he already fooled?

Shouldn’t it be him who’s dead now?

Why did this happen…?

This bastard is truly ruthless!

If I’d known this, I should’ve fought him head-on from the start!

In Chu Yunlong’s fading vision, there was only despair.

Li Banfeng comforted him: “Rest well on your journey. Don’t be so tense. It does hurt, but it’ll pass soon.”

“Don’t worry—I truly believe you. You won’t be able to speak now, so you won’t tell anyone about us.”

“Relax a little more, yes—don’t be so tense. Close your eyes. Don’t keep staring at me. I feel quite guilty.”

PS: Our Banfeng feels awful—everyone, go comfort him.

(End of Chapter)